Impulse-starter



E. W. ANDREW. :MPULSE STARTER.

Patented June 1, 1920.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1918.

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IMPULSE STARTER.

Patented June 1, 1920.

APPLICATION FILVED NOV. I8, 191B.

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fz 35 3 Y 315mm@ f 6MM/imaxes UNITED FREDERICK W. ANDREW, OF BROOKLYN, NEW'YORK, .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, ,TO EISEMANN MAGNETO CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, vNEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OIE' NEW YORK.

IMPULsE-STAETER- Specification. of Letters Patent. Patented June 1o 1920 Application mea November 1s, 191s. serial No. 263,034.

T 0 all whom it may concern: y Be it known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM ANDREW, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of the city of New York, borough n of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements in Impulse-Starters, whereof the following is a full, clear,

and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is the front view of a magneto, prepared for the mounting thereon Aof an j impulse starter constructed according to my invention; j

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the impulse starter mounted on the armature shaft, a part of the casing, constituting the driving part, being broken off to disclose the spring yieldingly connecting the driving with the driven part; l

Fig. 3 is a rear View of the driven part of the impulse starter, showing the mechanism engaging with the stop, shown in Fig. 1, for holding the driven part against rotation when, on starting, the driving part is rotated in advance of it; l

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts of the mechanism in their relative positions at the moment of release of the driven part;

Fig, 5 is a front view of the driven part;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the driving member; L

Fig. 7 a sectional view of the complete impulse starter shown as mounted on the magneto shaft. j

My invention vrelates to devices known in the art as impulse starters, by means of which a rapid rotatory motion is imparted to the armature of a magneto at the moment of starting an internal combustion engine to produce a spark of sutlicientintensity to ignite the explosive charge in the cylinder of the engine. These impulse starters are usually composed of a driven part, fixed tothe magneto shaft, a driving part rotatably mounted thereon, and of a spring situated so as to Ybe tensioned by rotating the driving party in advance of the driven part; in addition some mechanism is provided for arresting the motion of the driven part (and of the magneto shaft when the driving part is to be'rotated in advance of the driven part, and for releasing for inspection and repair without taking .i

the impulse -starterapart `This arrange ment is productive of difiiculties when the vehicle is on the road, and some part of the mechanism breaks, or the parts get disarranged. Another objectionable feature of the impulse starters heretofore `constructed was the uncertainYor-improper action ofthe centrifugal member which temporarily held the driven part by engaging a fixed stop.

f The object of my inventionv is to improve the construction of these devices, by so devising the mechanism forholding and releasing the driven part, that it may be applied on the outside of the parts of the impulse starter, readily accessible kfor inspection, adjustment and repair, by providing a centrifugal memberrwhich is always reliable in. operation, as subsequently more fully explained, and by so constructing many of the parts that they may be made out of sheet metal, thereby materiall decreasing the cost l,of manufacture. y inventionV consists in devising Van impulse starter, embodying improvements whereby` the stated objects of my invention are attained, and of which an example is shown in the drawings and hereinafter described. The part, designated by the reference numeral 11 in the drawings, is 'the driven part of the impulse starter, made in the shape of a circular disk, having an annular flange 13, a peripherical recess 14, and a for wardly extending hub 15, is fitted upon,

and keyed to, the end of the magneto shaftv 17 is housed. It is centrally perforated, the

. edge 16c of the perforation beingtted Vonto A the hub of the "drivenpartjll, and the rim 16a of the driving part Aonto its annular i 'langel. `The teeth, or projections, 31 on the driving `part 16 are provided for joining it to a gear-wheel orother device, whereby rotatory motion is transmitted to the driving part from the shaft of the engine.

' The disk 11 andthe hub 15 are preferab'lly7 made separata-as shown in ig. 7. j

he disk is rigidly fixed upon thev hub and held thereon --in any suitable way, asby theiianges 15'* and 15b. It is obvious from theillustration in Fig. 7, that the parts 11 vand 16 maybe `formed out of sheet metal, therebydecreas'in the .cost of manufacture.

The cup-shaped rivin'g part 16 has fixedthereon the sleeve 15C adapted to iit againstthe hub 15. The recess formed by the hub 15 and the sleeve 15c accommodates the nutv 156, by means. ofwhich'the closed -casing 4formed by Athe parts 15 and 11 is securely held on the magnetoshaft 12.v As seen from Fig. 7, the end of the magnetoshaft 12 iis-1" v 'substantially'lushwith the outer Lface ofthe driving memberk 16. The driving andthe driven parts ofthe .impulse starter are yieldingly connected by the spring 17. -One end of this springl'. is.

' driven member is released. The force propelling ,the driving member '16 prevents its .being rotated reversely, and thus the reaction of the spring is exerted upon the driven member, throwing it, and the magneto shaft,

to which the driven member isy secured, forward at high speed of rotation, whereby a lspark of sufficient' intensity to ignite the explosive @huge in the cyhnder AoftheJv engine iS produced. f

The tooth 16", formed on the rim 16 of I athe driving part 16 engages .the shoulder 1451LV of `the recess 14' ofthe driven part-11,

when the parts are set together, as shown in Fig.. 3, this normal position of the parts referred to being. maintained by the'spring 17.

The spring 17 has. an initial tension when the driving and driven .parts are iirst as-..

sembled, and this initial tension holds the tooth l'ofthe driving'part 16 in contact with the shoulder 16 of thel driven part 11.

As vseen from Figs. 6 and 7, the chamber vformed by the casing 16 'and the disk 11, in

which the coil spring 17 is housed, is free lfrom any operative part Vor member pro- Y jecting into it, so thatthe sprin'gjmay occupy practically the entire` chamber. This permits the use of a spring of suiiicient size and strength. This spring must be strong lthe magneto.

' he stop25vis is arrested. The driving enough to formv at all times thedriving cou-` pling or connection between the engine and One or two on the rim 16a of thej'driving part` for act- (or more) cams 29 are made f -ing on the mechanism, whereby the driven part is held against rotating when ,the `impart.

the oscillating ypawls `21, pivoted at 22 to the rear-side of the driven. part 11, the

pulse starterfis-set for action, thenumber of camscorresponding to the numberof .swinging'pawls 21, mounted onthe driven 75 The mechanism for holding the drivenV part against rotation when the driving part is to be rotated in advance of it, comprises guide-lugs 23, secured to the rear-side'ofthetdriven partv 11 in position to engage the free ends of the pawls 21; the teeth l24@ on `the free ends. of the pawls 21, and the stop 25, suitably fixed to the magneto casing 26 infpositipn to be venga ed by vthetooth 24 of one ofthe awls 21, -w en the engine is to be started. 'awls 21 Vswing freely' on `their pivots 22, theyare driven outwardly by cen# trifugal force when the magneto 1s driven at or above its normal spe'ed, and. drop when the magneto stands still.1 The extent of their movement is, however, limited, in-

wardly by their forwardly bent ends 27 contacting with 4the rim 16a of the driving member, and outwardly'by the teeth 24 contacting with the lugs23. The position they assume when the engine stops, and vthe. im .A

ulse 'starter is turned, is shown in li1 ig. 3. n this position the tooth 24-.of one "of the levers 21.is in line -with the -st'op 25l and in `engagement therewith. *Only one-ofthepawls' 21 and appurtenances thereof are required; .the second ,of the two 'shown in :the drawings is provided to obtain a second impulse rapidly following the rst,to eX- engine, if the first, should fail to startthe en 'ne. f l

shown in Fig. 1 .of the drawplode the charge in the next cylinder vof the ingsas part'of the bracket 32, secured to the frame ofthe magneto by -being'affixed to the base thereof by screws33. 'It may, however, as well be secured to the casing, or

otherwise fixed in its place, the only require' ment being that it should be fixed so that when'the magneto runs at or vabove vits predetermined normal speed,whereby the pawls 21 are moved outwardlythe teeth 24 will not come in contact therewith, but-should be in the/path of the 'teeth 2L1,vvhen thev magneto stops running. Then b y turning the crank-shaftof the engine, the impulse starter is turned with the shaft of the magneto, until the tooth of one of the pawls 21 abuts agalnst the Stop 25, whereby the fui ther rotatory motion of the driven part, andv of the magneto shaft, to which it is affixed,

part 1s then rotatedialone, in advance of the driven part,

a Vuntil one ofthe cams 29 comes. Iin Contact with the forwardly bent free end o f the ltooth 24 from its engagement with the stop 25, the driven part isreleased and the spring "11 by one of the cams 29 on'the driving part ;16occurs just before the toothlb reaches 17, tens1oned by the forward movement of\ the driving part, reacts and .drives the driven part, and the rotatory 1 part of the magneto, at a rapid pace through a part of its revolution,.thus producing the impulse and a spark of sufficient intensityto ignite the; compressed explosive chargelnone of -the cylinders of the engine, and thereby the engine is started. Thereafter, the impulse starter actsas a coupling .connecting the magnetogshaft withthe gear driven from the4 engme. I l

The moment of release of the driven part the end of the recess 14, as indicated in Fig. 4. y The' driven part 11 is thereupon put motion rapidly by the te'nsioned spring 17 until the shoulder 14a ofthe recess,y 14 onthe driven partV 11) strikes the edge 16d of the tooth ,lb'onthe vdriving part 1'6. This operation'of the .im-

pulse starter is repeated until .the speed of the armature shaft is suiicient to cause thepawls 21 to fly out under the action of 'centrifugalfforce, thereby clearing the teeth 24 of the xed stop 25. The length oftherecess 14 is suflicient to allow thetooth-I 16b to; travel until the moment ofkick-off, orV release of the driven part 11. Atl this moment there should be a slight clearance, as

4indicated at a in Fig. 4, between the forof the tooth 16b andA theV ward vedge 16e of the recessv 14. Ob-

shoulder or end 14b viously, the length of the recess 14 may be 'l varied andfwill depend upon the length of .the arc of travel of thev cam 29 from its 4.normal or rest position (as shown in Fig.- 3) to the position of release (as shown in Figi.)

It will be observed that the pawls are free from all objectionable spring connec- 1 tions andare controlled entirely by grfavity.

The centrifugal force acting on the pawls -has no spring pressure to counteract, as in prior constructions,

Abut has only to overcome the'eifect of gravity.v To insure a steady, regular and dependable action, the pawls 21 are made of such a length that the free weighted end, which carries the ltooth 24 and the .projection 27, operates through a long lever arm, of which the fulcrum is the pivot point 22. To accommo-l date this long pawl on the driven part 11, the pawl is curved and extends over an arc of. about ninety de rees, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. pawl of this constructation of the (which forms one endv tion 'and'arrangement' acts with certainty and requires no regulation or adjustment. ini-prior impulse starters, where a springA ,is associated withv the centrifugal'member,

is to say, assuming the parts to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figs.

3 and 4, the pivot points 22 are lin the lead andthe freeends, ,which carry the teeth 24, are in the rear,.or trail. I have demonstrated by actual tests thatl atrailingpawlA performs its intendedfunctionsmore satisvfactorily than a leadingfpawh where the free'or active end is in the directionof ropart on; which the pawl is mounted.

I claim as my invention v. 1. An impulse starter comprising a disk,-

having a hub adapted ,to be fixed onto the shaft'of a magneto, and a peripherical re 4 cess; a centrally'perforated casing, rotatably mounted upon the disk, 'and having a portion of its rim extended into the peripherical recess of the'disk, a spring 'having one end connected to the disk, 4and the` other to the casing, means operatively connecting the casing with the shaft of the engine, a.v fixed stop means movably mounted on the disk and adapted to drop in engagement with the 10o stop when the -engine stops; and means on Vthe casing,v adapted to engage the means,

cess, ofthe disk, a coiled spring having one endattached-to the disk, and the otherv to the casing, me ans operatively connecting the casing with theshaft of the engine, an abutment movably' mounted onthe rearfside of the disk, facing the magneto, and having an arm extended over the casing, a stop set in. position to engage the abutment, thereby holding the disk against rotation; means on the casing adapted to contact with the arm of'the abutment, and to move the abutment out of engagement with the stop, when the casing is rotated in advance `of theA disk, therebyreleasing the disk to rotate with the casing. 3. An impulse starter comprising a disk adapted tobe fixed onto the shaft of a magneto and having a peripherical recess',` aA 130 i cylindrical casing,'lrotatably mounted upon l the disk, and having a portion extended intov the peripherical recess of the disk, aycoiled-v spring, having oneend attached to the disk, and the other to the casing,'means opera-v tively connecting the casing,with the shaft i over the edge vof the disk, means for. guiding and limiting the movements of the pawl, a'

of the engine, a. swinging pawl ivoted to the disk and having. its free end o setto extend stop set in position 4to engage the pawl when in receded position, acani-on the rim of the the engine.

l part adapted Vto bev fixed on the shaft of the .4 0 magneto, a driving part mountedadjacenh engage said tooth and thereby casing in positionto contact with the offset free end of the pawl' when the casing is rotated to a predetermined extentin advance-v of the disk, and to move the pawl, thereby disengagingit .from the stop and setting the disk freer torotate withthe casing;

. 4. An impulse starter lcomprising a driven vpart adapted to be fixed on `the shaft of a-l magneto, a driving part adjacent to and-concentric' with ys aid'driven part, a spring set between vthe 'driven -Vpart andthe driving part, so as to be'tensioned .byrotating-the drivingpart in adv'ance-of the driven part,

a-jgravity pawl pivotedgon lthe driven part and extending overanarc of about. ninety degrees, a tooth on the free end 'of said paw a stop fixed in thepathof said tooth to be engaged thereby for holding the driven part .against rotation, means on the 4driving art adapted to act on said awl when. the (frivin'g part is rotated in a van'ce ,of the driven rpart and to disengage the 'pawl from the stop, and means foroperatively connecting the driving part with the rotating part of 5. An impulse starter comprising a driven to and concentric with the driven part, a coiled spring yieldinglyv connecting the driven part with the driving part, means operatively connecting the driving part with the shaft of the engine, a swingingl gravity pawl mounted on the'rear side .of the driven part facing the magneto, a tooth at the :treel end of said pawl, a -stop set in position to hold the drivenzpart against rotation, said pawl being -mounted so that the free end thereof trails when the driven partis rotated, means movable with the driving part for engaging 'said pawl when thefdriving partis rotated in advance of the driven part and thereby disengaging said tooth from said stop, whereby the driven partis set free to rotate with the driving part.

6. An impulse starter comprising a driven part, adapted to be fixed on tlie shaft of the magneto, a driving-part mounted adjacent to and concentric with the driven part, a spring yieldingly connecting the driven with the driving part, and so as to be tensioned when the driving part is rotated in 1 Wdil rotatory motion from the shaft of an inadvance lof the means opera.. tively connectingthe driving lpart with the the Vshaft of the engine, swingingpawls piv' oted to jthe rear-side of.v the riven part, facing the magneto, and having their free o f theA driven part, means for guiding and limiting the movements of the'pawls, -al stop set in position torengage oneof the swinging .pawls when swunginwardly, thus Vhol 4ing the driven part against rotation, cams on the driving partvin position to Contact 'with-the offset end of the pawl engaged by l the stop when'the driving part is rotated to a predetermined point 4in'advanceV of the driven part, thereby swinging' the pawl outand `di'sengaging it from the stop.

flexible coupling for transmitting fixed on theshaft of a magneto, ay casing mounted adjacent to 4and concentric with vsaid disk, said casing and said disk forming a chamber, a coil spring arranged insaid chamber and of proportionsto practically fill the same, means -for connecting' one end of said spring-with said disk and the other .end with said casing, coperative abutments on said casingand said disk for normally holding these two parts in predetermined relation to each other and for limiting the extent of relative movement of said parts, said abutments being independent of said connecting means, `a fixed stop, a pivoted gravity member mounted on the outside of saiddisk, where it is readilyaccelssible and [ends offset to extend'fo'rward over'the edge soAv adapted to drop into engagementA `with said v stopwhen the engine stops, means outside of said spring chamber and movable with said casing for engaging said member when said casing is rotated in advance of said disk, thereby settingsaid disk and the magneto shaft free to rotate with the casing, and means for operatively connecting the casing with the engine.

9. An impulse starter comprising a driven part adapted to be fixed on the shaft of a `magneto, a driving part mounted adjacent to and concentric with the driven part, a

- spring connecting. the driveny and the` driving part for rotatingthe driving part in advVance Aof the driven part, a gravity pawl pivoted on the driven part and .extending on the part, and means for operatively over an are of about ninety degrees, a tooth free end of said pawl, a slop fixed in the path of said toothl to be engaged u thereby for holding the driven part against rotation, said pawl being mounted so that the free end thereof trails when the driven part is rotated, means movable with the driving part for engaging said pawl when the driving part is rotated in advance of the driven part and thereby disengaging said tooth' from said stop, whereby the drivenpart is set free to rotate with the driving the driving part is rotated in advance of the driven part, means for operativelyconnecting the driving part with the shaft of the engine, a gravity pawl pivoted to the outside of the driven part facing the-magneto,

so as to be readily accessible, the free end' of said pawl being offset to extend over the edge of the driven part, a stop set in position to engage said pawl when swung inf wardly and thereby hold the driven part against rotation, and a cam on the outside of the driven part in position to engage said offset and thereby disengage said pawl from said stop when the driving part is rotated a predetermined amount in advance of the y driven part.

11. In an impulse starter, a hub adapted to be fixed on the shaft of a magneto, a disk separate from said hub andl rigidly mounted thereon, a cup-shaped driving member ro.

tatably supported on said hub and said disk, said driving member and said disk forming a closed casing, a coil spring arranged within said casing for operatively connectin said driving member with'said disk, a fixe stop, a movable member carried by said disk for engaging said stop to hold the disk against rotation, means located outside of said casing and movable with said driving member for actuating said holding member to release said disk when said driving member is rotated iniadvance of said disk, and means for operatively'connecting said driving member with the 'shaft of the engine.

l2. In an Yimpulse starter, a cup-shaped member and a disk-shaped member mounted on the magneto shaft and forming a closed casing rotatable with said shaft, said mem-` bers being rotatable relatively to each other, a spring in saidv casing for operativelyv conconnecting .member rotatabl necting said members together, a fixed stop, A a swinging pawl onthe outside ofone of said members lto engage saidl stop and therei by hold said member `against rotation, said last named member being thedriven member and fixed on the magneto shaft to rotate therewith, saidpawl being -provided with an off-set portion extending on the outside of said casing, cam means on the outside ofthe other or driving member for engaging' said loff-set portion and releasing the driven member when the driving member is rotated in advance of the driven meml ber, and means for operatively connecting the driving member with the engine shaft.

13; In an impulse starter, a hub adapted to be fixed on the shaft of a magneto, a disk fixed on said hub, a cup-shaped `driving supported on said hub and said disk, said cup-shaped member and said disk lforming a closed casing, a cen. tral sleeve fixed on said cup-shaped member j and fitting against said hub, said sleeve forming al recess into which Athe magneto -4 shaft projects, a nuton said shaft withinrs said recess to engage saidsleeve and thereby' v hold said casingfon said shaft, a spring ar'- ranged within said casing for operatively connecting said cup-shaped memberv withy said disk, coperatingjmeans on said disk and said member for determining the normal position4 of said two parts relatively to each other, a fixed stop, gravity means arranged to engagesaid stop for holding said disk Vagainst rotation, cam means for engaging said .gravity means to release said disk when said cup-shaped member is-rotated in advance of said disk, and meansfor operl atively connecting said cupshaped member vwith the engine shaft. f.

14. In an impulse starter, a hub adapted to be fixed on the shaft of a magneto, ia disk fixed on said hub, a cup-shaped driving member rotatively supported on said hub and disk, said cup-shaped `member and said i disk forming a closed casing, a springwithn vin said casing for operatively connecting said memberwith said disk, a fixedsto'p,

`means on thev outside of said disk toengage said stop and thereby hold said'disk against 110 rotation, means on thev outside of said cupshaped member for engaging said holding meansand releasing the disk whenv the driving member is rotated in advance of the disk, and means -for operatively connecting the drivin member with the engine shaft. lldREDERIICK W. ANDREW.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. SKINNER, Louisa KELLER. 

